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'Democratizing Technologies' Conference Announcement and CFP

Democratizing Technologies: Assessing the Roles of NGOs in Shaping Technological Futures, November 13-15, 2014 University of California, Santa Barbara

How can NGOs produce more equitable and sustainable outcomes of new technologies? What are the implications of NGO participation in governance for democracy and technological advancement? These questions are the focus of a multidisciplinary, global conference to be held at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), November 13-15, 2014.

The NSF Center for Nanotechnology in Society at UCSB is soliciting participants for Democratizing Technologies: Assessing the Roles of NGOs in Shaping Technological Futures.The conference features a diversity of speakers – scholars and representatives from NGOs, government, and industry - exploring questions of sustainable development, social responsibility, worker’s rights, and global governance in the context of rapid technological advancement. Technologies addressed will include nanotechnology, synthetic biology, new media, robotics, and GIS. Pulitzer Prize-winning, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof will kick off the event with a keynote address based on his new book, A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity.

This conference aims to attract an engaged community of practitioners who work at the intersection of emerging technologies and nongovernmental organizations. CNS welcomes all interested individuals to attend at tiered registration levels. Basic registration is FREE. To register, please visit http://www.cns.ucsb.edu/demtech2014/registration.

Call for Poster Abstracts – Now OPEN

The conference organizing committee is now accepting proposals for poster presentations. Please use the link below to submit an abstract (max. 250 words, text only) by September 22, 2014. Posters presenting research as well as NGO projects will be considered. If your contribution is accepted, you will be invited at a later stage to submit your poster for inclusion in the electronic conference proceedings.

With generous support from the US National Science Foundation, the Center for Nanotechnology in Society at UCSB has a limited amount of funding to support travel and registration costs for selected poster presenters up to a maximum of $1000. The purpose of these awards is to broaden participation in the meeting, particularly for junior scholars, practitioners, and participants from the developing world who would otherwise be unable to attend. To be considered for a travel grant, please provide a brief explanation of your need (max. 250 words, text only) when you submit your abstract.

The conference organizing committee is seeking NGO participants to represent their organizations at an outreach and networking event. This “NGO Marketplace” will allow organizations to share information about themselves, their achievements and current projects, with other NGO representatives, scholars, and UCSB students who are considering careers in the nonprofit sector. To request a table for your organization, please contact conference organizer, Cassandra Engeman (cassandra.engeman@ucsb.edu).

Sponsors:This conference is being organized by the Center for Nanotechnology in Society at UCSB with significant funding support from the National Science Foundation. It is co-sponsored by Direct Relief and the Fund for Santa Barbara.